Day Two
After the trials of the day I slept surprisingly well, despite the narrowness of the bed, and the fact that the prison blankets made my skin itch. I woke when the light came on – and for a few blissful moments forgot where I was. Then the stale air and the claustrophobic walls brought me down to earth again.
Suddenly there was a banging at the door.
"Slopping out in five minutes," a voice yelled. Then footsteps passed on and I heard a fainter banging, and the same voice calling further down the corridor.
"Best get up," said Rose, emerging from under her blankets. She swung her legs out of bed and sat up. It was the first time I had seen the top half of her naked, and I couldn't help staring at her huge breasts as they swung free. She saw me staring, and gave her left breast a smack, which sent it wobbling like an enormous jelly.
"Great cow's udders," she said. "What I wouldn't have given for nice little breasts like yours."
"I always wanted bigger boobs," I said. "More like yours."
"You try running for a bus with these," Rose said. "You'd soon change your mind."
Rose was barely dressed before the door clanged open, and Clark put her piggy face inside.
"Get your hands off your twats and take your bucket outside," she ordered.
"Good morning to you too Officer Clark," said Rose.
I flinched: after what had happened to me in the Examination Room I expected Clark to bawl Rose out for impudence at the very least, but she merely grunted and withdrew.
"Come on," said Rose: "I'll show you what to do."
Rose picked up the bucket and we left the cell. Outside in the corridor a line was forming: some women were standing in pairs, other women were emerging from cells with buckets swinging in their hands. I'd almost got used to being naked, but at the sight of all these women in uniform I felt vulnerable and self-conscious again. The moment I appeared there were wolf-whistles and cat-calls. Suddenly everybody was staring at me. Hands reached out to grope me as we walked to our place in the queue: I felt my bottom being pinched: then a pair of hands from behind me closed over my breasts.
"Get off me!" I cried. "Leave me alone."
"Hark at her, playing hard to get," said a voice somewhere.
"Little fanny-tease, getting us all on fire," said another.
"Come on girls, give her a break," said Rose. But the women took no notice: the line had broken up, and they were crowding round me, backing me up against the wall, groping for me like pack animals, whooping and leering – until suddenly a whistle blew.
"Get back in line!" a voice yelled.
Muttering and laughing the women gradually shuffled back to their places.
"See you later blondie," said one. "Keep your pussy warm for me," called another.
"Take no notice," said Rose. "They don't mean any harm."
It was easy for Rose to say that: all I wanted to do was to run back to my cell and lock myself inside. Instead I had to wait as the queue shuffled forward. Every time Clark called out a cell number, two girls turned into a room with their bucket, and a couple of minutes later reappeared.
At last our number was called. Rose took the bucket, and led me into a small, cell-like space. The concrete floor sloped down around a central hole – like the sort of lavatories they have on the Continent. Attached to the wall was a tap connected to a short length of hose. The stench was vile.
"We empty the bucket down there," said Rose, tipping the brown slop down the hole. "Then rinse it out from the tap – otherwise it stinks." She rinsed water into the bucket, swilled and emptied it a couple of times: then we were done, and moments later back at our cell, where I noticed the name LITTLEHAYES C had been chalked on the door beneath MASON R.
"That was horrible," I said, when the door was safely locked again. "They're like Harpies – I thought they were going to tear me apart."
"Slopping-out won't be a problem once you've got your uniform," said Rose. "It was the sight of you naked that got them going. But you're going to have to brace yourself for the showers."
"When is shower day?" I asked apprehensively.
"Couple of days to go," said Rose.
I lay down on my bed, worrying about what was to come. I could hear the last of the women tramping down the corridor. Rose too lay down, and immediately tugged off her knickers and started masturbating. That seemed to be her default position. However, she'd barely got into her stride before the door was flung open again: this time it was Dawes, with the tall Officer I'd briefly seen the day before.
"You: Littlehayes: stand up," ordered Dawes. I stood quickly to attention. Rose ignored the two women.
"You'll rub your clit away," said the tall woman.
"I'll start on yours then Officer Raymond," said Rose.
The tall woman sniggered; then, at a look from Dawes, composed herself.
Dawes produced a bag, and began throwing items onto my bed:
"One toothbrush," she said. "One cup. One comb. One towel. You get one safety razor a fortnight, one bar of soap a month and one tube of toothpaste every two months, so make them last. Towels are changed once a week. You get four tampons a month. When you've used them you put them in this paper bag, not in the slops bucket. Got that?"
"Yes Sir," I said.
"Make sure you keep your twat shaved. You'll be inspected every day, and if I'm not satisfied we'll have you in the Examination Room and do it for you – understand?"
"Yes Sir."
"Right: here are your prison clothes. Get them on now."
She tossed a bundle of clothes onto my bed. Grey socks, navy blue skirt, a white shirt, knickers and bra. The other woman dropped a pair of sandals onto the floor.
I picked up the navy bra. Even before trying it, I could see that it was miles too big. The cups were double D at least: surely it was meant for Rose?
"Did I say 'Now' or 'Next Week?'" demanded Dawes.
"Now, Sir." I said.
I put the bra over my breasts, then looked at Dawes and Raymond, waiting for one of them to say a mistake had been made, but neither spoke. Dawes' face bore the hint of that malicious grin I had seen in the Examination Room.